chickens sleeping in nesting boxes

[frizzleman74]

Is there anyway to discourage this. I have a couple silkies that dont roost and prefer to sleep in the ground level nest boxes. The poop is making the eggs a lot dirty then necissary, and i just dont want them to continue this habit. Any suggestions? I do have laying hens so the nest boxes are in use

 

[kcfuerst]

Close the nest just before they go to bed and don't open it until the next morning. After you do this for about a week, they might get the idea.

 

[frizzleman74]

would changing the bedding from shavings to straw help?

 

[ECBW]

would changing the bedding from shavings to straw help?

Changing bedding did not matter in my case. Silkies just do not like to roost. You would have to close the nests every evening (real inconvenience) and the silkies will likely sleep on the floor, or built some nests higher for regular breeds.

 

[Jake1297]

My silkies don't use their nests I built either. They make their own nest on the floor which is covered with a mixture of hay and shavings. I get clean eggs most of the time (90%). Usually they make two nests. I have five silkie hens, one rooster.